“Is this position okay?”

  It took my dad a minute to realize that Nick was talking to him. “I think maybe she should be squatting. Leaning against Cassie is good, but more upright.”

  Nick stood and vaulted over the crying girl, coming to rest on her opposite side. “Grab her arm,” he told my dad. Together, they lifted Ariel. She cried out in pain but was able to get her feet underneath her. Once she was standing, the men turned away, and I helped her kick her panties off. Thank god she was wearing a skirt. Then we eased her back down again, arranging her in a squat with the backs of her legs resting on my thighs. I pulled her head and shoulders back, urging her to lean against me again.

  “Can you hold that position, Cass?” Nick wiped his hair out of his eyes and looked at me.

  “I’m good,” I said.

  “Are you ready to push, Ariel?”

  “Don’t let my baby fall!” she said.

  “We won’t. We’ve got you covered, sweetheart. We’re going to help you. Rob, when should she push?”

  “When she feels the next contraction coming on,” Dad said, holding Ariel’s hand.

  “That’s now,” Ariel gasped.

  “Then push,” Nick said.

  “I can’t,” she said. “I can’t have a baby. Not here. Not by myself.”

  “You’re not by yourself,” I said, pulling her hair away from her face. “You were by yourself, but then I came. And Dad and Principal Conner. We’re not going to leave your side. There are four of us, and soon there’ll be five. Please try to push.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Okay, how about just try to breathe slowly, then? Guys, she’s holding her breath, I can feel it. Isn't there some kind of breathing thing?”

  “I think I heard that the recommendations are just for deep, slow breaths,” Nick said.

  My father nodded. “In through the nose and out through the mouth.”

  “Let’s do that together, okay Ariel? Breathe in for one, two, three, four,” I said. “Now out for one, two, three, four.” We did that a few more times, and then she cried out again.

  “I feel another one.”

  “Push,” Nick ordered, and suddenly he was using his authoritarian voice. “Young lady, you need to push right now.”

  She cried out and grabbed my father’s arm in what looked like a death grip. “That’s good, Ariel,” he said, wincing slightly.

  Meanwhile, Nick stationed himself between her spread legs, a flashlight in one hand. My father aimed his light there, too.

  “Oh god, I think it’s coming,” Nick said, his voice full of wonder. “Push, Ariel.”

  “Push hard,” my father added.

  “You can do this,” I said in her ear. “And when you’re done, we’re going to get you clean and safe, and you’ll see your mom. Please don’t worry. She’s going to be so happy that you’re safe.”

  Nick whipped off his shirt and hastily balanced it on his thigh. “I think the head’s coming. Keep pushing.”

  With a huge roar, Ariel bore down. I could feel her muscles straining.

  And then Nick swore with amazement. “There’s the head. You're doing it, Ariel!”

  “Keep going,” Dad coaxed. “You just have to push a little more for the shoulders. Then it gets easier.”

  She cried out again, and Nick positioned his shirt under her. A round shape emerged in the dark, and with the next push, the baby slid out. Nick caught the child in his outstretched arms and wrapped his shirt around the tiny form. No one spoke; the only sound was Ariel’s rapid breathing.

  I wanted to tell her how well she’d done, but I couldn’t speak. The moment was so overwhelming. So miraculous. And I hoped with all my heart that one day, I’d be the one ushering a tiny new life into the world as Ariel had.

  My father found his voice first. “Good job, Ariel, you did great.” She slumped against him, rolling partway off me.

  “Is it okay?” she said weakly.

  But it was the baby that answered, letting out a strong cry.

  “I think she is,” Nick said, cradling the infant, wiping at her face with the edge of his shirt.

  “She?” I asked, tears dripping off my cheeks.

  “She,” he confirmed, and even in the dim light, his hazel eyes seemed to beam straight into me, filling me with affection. Filling me with love. For him. For my dad. For this remarkably brave girl who’d just accomplished the most amazing feat of her life. And for that baby girl in Nick’s arms. A tear traced down his face, too, and I know he was hoping the same thing I was. For that baby to have a long, happy, and healthy life.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “DINNER’S IN FIVE minutes, honey,” Mom called up the stairs. “Please wear something nicer than your jean shorts.”

  I rolled my eyes but moved toward my closet anyway. Now that I knew what childbirth looked like up close and personal, now that I knew how much pain Ariel had gone through, I figured I owed my mom big time for going through that with me.

  Digging into my closet, I found a pale pink dress that I hadn’t worn in ages. I missed Nick like crazy, but I supposed I could try to act less morose for my mom’s sake. Things still were still very tense between me and my dad, but at least the storm was over. The power was back on and the streets were clear.

  And we’d heard that Ariel was back home with her mom and stepdad. As I’d predicted, they were thrilled she was safe. Last I’d heard, she wasn’t sure if she was going to keep the baby or give it up for adoption, but whatever she chose, I knew she’d be okay if she had her family’s support. I only wished that I did.

  I padded down the stairs and into the kitchen, but no one was there. There was a light on in the dining room. Dad was there, but not mom, and the table had two place settings. That was strange.

  “I wanted to talk to you, Cassie,” Dad began, speaking stiffly. He gestured toward a chair, and nervously, I sat. He sat down across from me. “I… I’ve been thinking a lot since the storm. About what’s really important. And that girl and her baby are important. And her mother and stepdad. Family. That’s what’s important.”

  He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his thigh as he looked at me. “You said it. You told her. That parents accept their children no matter what. And—and I didn’t do that. Not when I found out about you and that—and Nick.”

  I let out a shaky breath that I hadn’t been aware I’d been holding. My father, admitting he was wrong? Calling Nick by his first name? That was a far cry from “piece of shit” he’d called him before.

  “He’s too old for you, you know,” Dad said. He didn’t pause even as I opened my mouth to protest. “That’s the way I feel, and I’ll always feel that way. But what matters is how you feel. About him. And how he feels about you. I saw the way you two worked together that night. As a team. As competent people working together to solve a problem. As adults. Two adults, not one adult and one child.”

  “I love him, Dad.”

  “I know. And I don’t know if I’ll ever like him, but I was wrong about him. He may not be a teacher, but he’s doing right by the school. By the students. I talked to his administrative assistant yesterday. She confirmed that he’s taken several classes since he started, all things that he thinks will help him. First Aid. CPR. Fire Safety. He’s trying to be a good principal. Hell, everyone else thinks he’s already a good principal. Maybe they’ve been right all this time. But the question is, is he right for you? And that’s something only you can answer.”

  “I have answered it, Dad. I’m sure.”

  He grunted, noncommittally. But he didn’t disagree.

  “Does this mean that you won’t resign?”

  “No, I’m not going to quit. I told him that today.”

  “You did?” Hope swelled inside me, ballooning up until I thought it would burst.

  “He did,” Mom said, appearing in the doorway, smiling at me.

  I had to go see him. I had to talk to him. I had to know if he still wanted to be with me. But Mom had specifically asked me to have dinner with them tonight. I’d waited this long—I could wait another hour, right? Maybe?

  “Can I text him really quickly before dinner?” I said. “And we need another place setting.”

  “No, we don’t,” Mom said, still grinning.

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’re not eating with us. There’s someone waiting to take you to dinner right outside.”

  In a flash, I was on my feet, sliding my feet into sandals and grabbing my purse. I gave Dad a kiss on the cheek and hugged my mom before flying out the door.

  And there he was. Waiting for me. Leaning against his car and looking as handsome as the devil himself.

  He moved forward and scooped me into his arms as I all but crashed into him, running at full force.

  “Slow down,” he murmured into my hair as he spun me around and set me back on my feet. “We’ve got time. We’ve got all the time in the world—if you want us to.”

  “I do,” I said.

  “Me too,” he said, and our lips met. It felt like the world was still spinning as his mouth pressed against mine, his body connected with mine, and our hands entwined. I never wanted it to end.

  * * *

  We went back to Nick’s place. “If your parents ask, tell them I took you to dinner,” he’d said with a wink.

  Now he was hovering over me, supporting his weight on his arms. I reached up and stroked the side of his face, feeling the short, bristly white hairs near his temples as well as the longer dark brown hair on the rest of his head.

  “There’s something I probably should have asked you before I got you naked in my bed,” Nick said, and I laughed.

  “Ask me now.”

  “Okay,” he said, and he did a partial pushup, lowering himself to kiss my lips. Then he pushed back up and smiled down at me. “Are you sure about… us?”

  That was the easiest question I’d been asked in a long time. “I’m sure. You're the man I want. The man I love. It doesn’t get any surer than that.”

  Relief crossed his face, and he lay down on the bed next to me, pressing against my side, holding me. “I love you too, Cassie. So much. I want to give you every opportunity in the world, but I’m not going to wait. I want to be with you now. I love you now. And always.”

  Grabbing the back of his head, I pulled him toward me, crushing his mouth against mine. He snaked his hands underneath my back as he kissed me, and then he rolled over, taking me with him. Laughing, I straddled him, sitting up a little, shaking my breasts in his face.

  “Tease,” he said, and then his head reared up, and he captured my nipple in his teeth. Gasping, I stilled, even though blood was thundering through my body, every nerve ending standing at attention.

  He gave a sharp little nip that made me squeal, and then he released that nipple, capturing the other without missing a beat. This time, he sucked my sensitive nub deep into his mouth, making me moan.

  It felt so amazing that I was gasping for breath by the time he let go. “Are you going to be a good girl tonight?” he growled.

  “Yes, Sir,” I said, smiling at him.

  “That’s my girl,” he said with a wink. “Show me just how good you can be.” His hands slipped under my thighs and he lifted me up, positioning me on his hard cock. I sank down, moaning at the feeling of finally being filled by him again. When he was all the way inside me, I ground against him, feeling him touch me deep inside.

  He gave my thigh a little slap, causing me to yelp. “Ride me, good girl.”

  I giggled. “Isn’t that supposed to be ‘Ride me, cowgirl?’”

  “Either way, you look fucking gorgeous. Your hair’s a mess. Your face is flushed. Your chest is heaving. The only way you could look any hotter would be if you were bouncing up and down.”

  Laughing, I took the hint and started to move on top of him. It felt so damn good that I closed my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair. If he liked the way I looked, I could give him a little show. Trailing my hand down my neck, I reached the swell of my breast and lightly drew circles with my fingertip.

  Bringing up my other hand, I cupped both breasts, enjoying the way they shook as I rose up and down on top of him. Enjoying the way his gorgeous hazel eyes lit up.

  Then he rolled over again, taking me with him. “My turn,” he growled into my ear as I lay on my back, my legs wrapped around him.

  He plunged into me again, and I knew that this was the way I wanted to end every day. In his arms. In his bed. Filled by him. Loved by him.

  Nick kissed my neck and my face as he pushed deep inside of me. I ran my hands up and down his back, scratching, rubbing. I grasped his hair and tugged. And I called out his name as I screamed with pleasure, as he pulsed deep inside of me.

  “Oh, god,” I moaned as he emptied inside me. He collapsed on me then, his chest against mine. He chuckled softly as he felt an aftershock jolt through my body, his lips resting lightly on my neck, his hot breath tickling my skin.

  “I love you, Cassie,” he whispered.

  “I love you, too.”

  And I truly did. I’d found the man I loved, and it didn’t matter that we were at different places in our lives. What mattered was that we wanted each other in our lives.

  Forever.

  Chapter Fourteen

  ~~ THREE YEARS LATER ~~

  “You’re doing great, honey. Just keep breathing. In through your nose. Out through your mouth.”

  I tried, but this was such an unfamiliar position. Still, I knew I wasn’t in this alone. Nick’s strong body was behind me, supporting me. Coaxing me and guiding me. I gripped his hands tighter, momentarily distracted by a flash of light coming from my left side. Wiggling my fingers, I let the overhead light hit the diamond ring on my finger.

  Even after a year, the sight of my ring made me smile. And the memory of our wedding, with Dad walking me down the aisle, was never far from my mind. Especially since I’d made a special video montage of my big day. Our big day.

  “Do you feel a contraction coming on?” Nick’s voice was warm in my ear.

  “Yes,” I said, a groan in my voice. “It’s a big one.”

  “Are you going to push hard for me?”

  “Yes. I am.”

  I tensed my muscles and groaned, letting Nick take my weight, letting him cradle my body. But then I realized I was holding my breath, and I knew that was wrong. I opened my mouth and took a deep breath.

  “That’s my good girl,” Nick said against my ear. “Remember when you helped Ariel do this? Be brave like she was.”

  I smiled at that. Ariel had graduated from high school last year, the same month I’d graduated from college. She and her mom were jointly raising that sweet little girl, named Nicole after the man who’d delivered her—Nick.

  “One more big push,” a female voice called out, and I focused at the task at hand.

  I strained back against Nick, letting him support me, and he spoke words of encouragement in my ear, praising me, telling me I could do it, telling me what a good mother I was going to be.

  “And they had a beautiful baby, and they lived happily ever after. Who’s next?” Janet, the instructor of our childbirth class, looked around the room as I pushed up off of Nick and got gingerly to my feet. He popped up right next to me and grinned. “How’d we do?”

  “You got a B,” she said, directing another couple to take our place at the front of the room.

  “We got a B? Doug and Alicia got an A.”

  I laughed, taking his hand and leading him back to our seats. “We’ve got four and a half more months to improve our grade.”

  “It was your fault,” Nick whispered. “You kept grinding your ass into me, distracting me.”

  “Well, what about you?” I whispered back. “Calling me good girl in front of everyone here.” His calling me that usually had a Pavlovian effect on me. Nothing got me hot and bothered quicker.

  “Well, I was wrong, you were being a bad girl,” he said, and he reached behind me and pinched my ass.

  I giggled, Janet shushed us, and we then were good students for the rest of the class.

  Afterward, Nick took me for ice cream. I got a double scoop, lording it over his single scoop of chocolate.

  “You do realize this eating for two thing is a limited time deal, right?”

  “Would you rather I ate for three?” I said, making a grab for his cone.

  “No, I’d rather strip you down and lick that ice cream off your hard nipples.”

  “So what’s stopping you?” I teased.

  He glanced around. “About twelve innocent bystanders and public decency laws.”

  “We wouldn't have either of those problems at home, would we now?”

  “No, we wouldn’t,” he said, and he handed me his cone and bent down. I shrieked as he picked me up, carrying me toward the car. To get back at him, I looked him right in the eyes while licking his ice cream cone. “You’re playing with fire, little one,” he warned me.

  “Doesn’t feel like fire to me,” I taunted and took a long lick from his cone again.

  “The heat comes after we’re home,” Nick said as he set me down by his car.

  “That works for me,” I whispered, and this time, I took a long lick of my cake-batter ice cream. Reaching up to kiss him, I shared a mouthful of sweetness with him. “Take me home.”

  And he did. To the home that had once been his parents’ but was now ours. To the home where one bedroom was already being fashioned into a nursery with a gender-neutral yellow trim.

  I was going home with the man I loved and our baby was growing inside me.

  Life couldn’t get any better than that.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  In the mood for something decadent, delicious, and provocative? Meet Mia Madison, purveyor of Forbidden Fantasies Romance. Come in, sit back, and relax. The candles are lit, and the dancing shadows on the wall promise sexy, seductive tales of spine-tingling love, leading to a pleasure-drenched happy-ever-after.